The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-08-07
copyrighted, 1887, By j. II. EstiH.l
CHAPTER XVII.

Earl Beaconstield had not grown more
moody and silent since his separation from
his son-ah, mol his was pride too deep for
that-and he went and came as if Sir Ar
thur had never lived
The doors of his ancestral halls were
thrown more widely open than before, and
the walls echoed with the laugh of the fire.
quent guest or with the jewellers at the ban
quet If the Earl felt any regrets he did
not show them to outward observers.
Notwithstanding his hauteur he could not
help but read Of the fame and success of the
young artist, and there was a slightly per-
ceptible raising of the head and proud kind
ling of the eye as he perused the lines full of
praises of his son with which the journals
were teeming.
Not so his lady wife-for, although there
was the same sweetness, the same gentle
ness, the same quiet dignity-yet there was
usefulness of the eye; gradual paling of
the cheek and a languor that told of inward
suffering.
The frequent letters of Sir Arthur and
Nora-the latter of whom she was growing
to love most foudly-were all that gave her
strength to endure her sorrow.
The Countess would gladly have visited
her boy, but she feared her husbands dis
pleasure and knew full well if he discovered
even the stealthy visit she had made Sir
Arthur before himself and Nora left Dame
Gudenough's that it would cause an irrep-
arabic breadth between them.
The birth of her grandson gave the Coun-
tess sweet pleasure, and she longed more than
ever to fold the little one in her arms
But as she could not go herself she sent
the faithful Margaret, who had long de-
sired to visit her Scottish home, and made
that the excuse for her leaving; and the
Earl never knew that she had first gone to
Italy to visit her s'bonnie boyn and his sweet
young wife, and enfold this new nursing in
her arms.
And then came news that Lord Dudly had
found Arthurs retreat, and the great inter
est he had taken in the young man and his
little family: and the Countess heart over
flowed with thankfulness that her boy had
found friend in one of the friends OF his
childhood.
Margaret returned from her Scottish trip
AS the Earl thought it--with glowing ac-
counts to her lady OF the beauty and gentle
ness of Nora and the pretty winsomeness of
the baby boy. Never was such child in
Margaret's eyes-and its grandmother list
ened with tears of joy to nurses glowing
description of its pretty baby ways and the
adopted children.
How the Countess longed to clasp this
dear daughter and grandson to her heart
and how she yearned for her son, but she
mew'it could not be now.
The Earl bereft of the pride of his heart
threw himself into other pursuits.
His art gallery had long been the fame of
his neighborhood, for it's exquisite statuary
and paintings, and he used his surplus in
come that he had expended so freely on his
son toward adding TO his already magniti-
cent collection. The neighboring gentry
visited the gallery often and frequently in
troducod strangers, SO that it was seldom I'M
occupied
The Earl often joined these art lovers and
IooK the greatest pleasure i'll showing to his
guests these exquisite gems.
Whether by accident or design several of
pr Arthu's paintings and statues found
Their way into the hall. Their true artistic
merit and exquisite design and coloring won
universal praise.
:, The latest acquisitions were a statue of
sAcantha" and painting of new fancy
LOT the Madonna and the child.
The statue, had it not have been for the
unnatural GOODNESS of the pure white mar
DE, seemed almost endowed with life, so
graceful was the pose of the head and the
beauty Of the features.
The Madonna was new departure, repre-
SntlnS the mother with fair hoir and blue
eyes, with a halo surrounding the golden
head; while the face was positively an
gellc as she gazed at tho tiny infant in her
arIrs
Al raved about these new additions, and
twas seldom the gallery was without lovers
Of art.
As yet the Countess had not seen them
suO one day, during the temporary absence